go for gold.

"Are you sure?"

Stella laughs, "Girl, yes. I wouldn't have called otherwise. I'll send you the details in an email. Enjoy your Sunday--we'll talk tomorrow, get everything situated."

"Okay." She chews on her lower lip, "Thanks Stel." She hangs up, leaning back against the pillows.

She looks over at her boyfriend, "That was Stella. I--I got a movie audition. Like..." She grins, "Just...they called her, Finn."

"Rosie, that's amazing," he beams at her, shifting on the bed to face her. Finn leans over and presses a quick kiss. "I can see the shock in your eyes," he laughs gently at her, brushing her hair away from her face. "What do you think? Are you excited or nervous, both?"

"Sure, coffee sounds good." She cups his cheek and steals one more kiss before watching him walk out of the room.

She looks over to her fish, "Quite the view, huh?" And she's not talking about Chicago.

Her phone vibrates and she wraps the sheet around her chest when she leans up to get it, a soft smile on her face when she picks up,

"Hey Stel."

"Hey stranger--I'd ask how it's going but I saw your insta story when you went to Columbus."

Rosie pinks, "Oh yeah. It was...something."

Stella hums sort of knowingly, but instead of grilling her on Finn, "You'll never believe who called me."

And that's when Rosie learns that she has an audition. For a movie. In LA.

"Wait," Rosie raises her eyebrows, "Seriously?"

Lucky for him, the food arrives way earlier too and he grabs it from the door then the coffee from the machine before walking back to the bedroom. He looks over at Rosie as she's on the phone, setting the bag of food down on the side table and opens it up, placing Rosie's container on the bed as he sits down.

Which is how she finds herself tucked into his bed, in just underwear, his body overtop of her own. She smiles, her arms wrapped around him, one of them drawing shapes with her finger along his arm while the other runs up and down his spine.

She's been spending so much time over here that she brought Gorgonzola from her apartment and set her on a table near the window. She thinks she likes her new spot.

She turns her head and presses a lazy kiss to Finn's temple.

"They've picked up the food," he clears his throat, turning down the brightness. Finn stretches his legs out and his arms above his head, sighing softly as he rolls himself it sit. Gorg looks like she's having the time of her life with the view of Chicago in the corner, and Rosie looks mighty comfortable in his bed.

He needs to stop questioning why it all feels so normal.

Finn leans over to Rosie, pressing a couple of kisses to her face and one to her collarbone. "Do you want more coffee?"

Maybe her and Finn have been on the same wavelength this entire time. Which is why when he picks her up into his arms and walks towards the bed...she is more than eager to be there with him.

Clothes are removed and bodies are explored with hands and mouths and...Rosie is pretty sure she could never get used to how good Finn is able to make her feel.

He loves her laugh and her little nose crinkles. Finn likes how she makes him feel which is about five hundred emotions in one but they're all good. Rosie compliments him in a way he didn't know he needed or even seek. It makes him wonder if he's ever felt truly like himself before Rosie, and Finn's not sure if he can answer that.

Kissing Rosie is mesmerizing, and he memorizes every part of her body, including the ticklish spots. The duvet and pillows are lived in, legs intertwined as be lays with her in the hotel king bed. Finn laughs lightly as he adjusts his chain around his neck, gently kicking at he bottom of the duvet to uncover his feet. "Not wrong," he tells her, turning his head to look at Luci. "I'm not opposed to any kind of routine either."

and it seems like Finn has a one-track mind. Which is great, because it's one of the only things she's been able to think about since he left.

She wraps her arms around him, smiling against his lips as he kisses her. As he tells her the truth. It means everything to her that he does give an explanation about that photo, even though she never asked him for one. Even though she wasn't going to make him tell her.

"Me neither," She whispers, kissing him back. A small sound leaves her lips as he backs her into the closed door, "And just--for the record," She adds, his lips finding her neck, "I was never upset with you." She closes her eyes, "I trust you."

It means everything to him that she trusts him, and it's something he didn't realize he needed to hear. Every article about him that said he was a 'player' or has anger problems, that he was one the messing around and hurting people... it had broken his spirit.

Rosie's repaired a lot of it.

Finn breathes in, nodding as he kisses Rosie again. "Thank you."

"Oh yeah?" She asks teasingly but then she can't help but laugh when he squeezes her cheeks before kissing her. She wraps her arms lazily around his waist, keeping him close and kissing him back.

There's some whooping in the background and playful cheers and when she pulls back, some teammates are clapping Finn on the shoulder before saying hello to her in passing. She grins, looking back up at Finn. She nuzzles their noses in a bunny kiss.

He places his bag and Rosie's bags on a dressing bench in the room. Turning back around, he smiles at Rosie, shaking his head. "I am sorry about the picture," he tells her. "Bachelorette party," Finn says and maybe that's enough of an explanation. He walks towards her again, tipping his head to the side and touches her cheek while tugging on her sweater to bring her close to him.

"But I'm definitely not sorry it brought you here," Finn whispers, pressing a firm kiss to Rosie's lips, holding her to his chest. His hand slides to rest on her back, deepening the kiss as he presses her back against the door.

rosieoconnell posted a new insta story

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And he is.

She breathes in, her cheeks heating and staying pink, "What picture?" She asks but her voice is slightly teasing before nodding, "Uh, yeah. Yeah, I saw it. One of the comments said I should come get my man, so. That's what I was doing."

Her heart flip-flops in her chest. She is well-aware of how silly this is. For her to be jealous. Over a so-called 'fake' relationship. But being with Finn feels real. It's so real to her,

"That okay with you?"

"What," he begins to laugh a little bit, his face twisting but he's so amused by it. That is... yeah, that is what Rosie has done showing up in Ohio and making her own statement. Another day of Rosie being absolutely unbelievable in the best way Finn can think of.

He cups her cheeks with his hands, playfully squeezing before kissing her properly for a long moment. "Perfectly fine with me."

She draws in a breath, putting her phone away as Finn sits up straight, pulls his hood back and looks around. And smiles as he spots her. She lifts her hand to wave but then suddenly Finn is moving, a squeaked laugh as she wraps her arms around his shoulders as he spins her in a tight hug.

She grins up at him when he puts her down, her cheeks pink.

"Hi."

He sets her back down on the ground, grateful to see her. He's missed her and he's ecstatic that she's here. Finn leans down and presses a light kiss to her lips, breathing in a moment later. "You saw the picture?" He asks because it's the only really logical thing he can think of to answer his curiosity.

There no way she hadn't because for whatever damn reason he saw it three times before he could get through five scrolls. So of course she probably had and he feels annoyed about all of that, people taking pictures and twisting it to their own narrative. This is what happened with Lindsay.

A small smile and excitement fills her ribcage with butterflies.

She looks up as she enters the lobby and sees that most of the team is milling around, waiting for room assignments. And she spots Finn, settled into one of the cushioned chairs near the small minimart. She tugs the bow out of her pocket, the lucky one and holds it up in his direction.

She snaps a pic and texts it to him.

Wait–

Finn's brows crinkle, confusion swirling in his but then this anticipation buzzing in him. He turns around quickly, removing the hood and spots Rosie right at the entrance of the lobby. Bow in hand, a small bag. Finn stands, leaving his own bag by his chair and begins to walk over to her.

"Rosie," Finn pockets his phone and when he's close enough envelopes his arms around her, lifting her up a few inches from the ground.

And yet...even if the picture is totally innocent, which she's sure it is...Finn would want to see her, right?

And she feels like she needs to make a statement.

"Okay, let's do it." She grins and twenty minutes later, her flight to Columbus is booked.

And so she goes. She feels a little insane doing it but you know what? Feels like something her mom would do, and Rowan supported so. She holds onto that feeling. She hadn't texted Finn back, just hearted his message from the night he went to the bar.

It's not until she arrives at his hotel that she sends a text back,

Firstly, he's a little passive to Danny as they board the plane to go to Columbus. He's still high on life and apparently one of the girls in the bachelorette party game him her number. Great, good for him. For Finn? There's pictures on the stupid internet insinuating that he's being an asshole hockey player, tagging Rosie in posts.

She's seen it, he knows it and she hasn't replied to him. He doesn't even have time before they take off to go to Columbus. Finn sleeps on the plane, pulling the hood of his hoodie over his head on the bus ride to the hotel and in the lobby while they wait for their room assignments.

Finn sniffles softly, cold in Ohio as he looks at his phone. Once he gets into his room he's going to call Rosie, he needs to. But Rosie's name drops down on his screen before he can process it, and her message.

Finn: what do you mean?

Henry leans up and looks at the photo too, crinkling his nose, "If I know Finn, he didn't even want to be in that picture anyways." He nods about what Ro is saying too, reaching over to squeeze her knee, "Don't worry too much, most of those comments are probably just trying to rile you up."

Rosie hums lightly, chewing on the inside of her cheek, "Well, it's working."

Henry leans back into the cushion and shrugs his one shoulder, a small smile pulling the corners of his mouth, "So do what that one comment says, go get your man."

Finn leaves the bar after later than he would like. He blames Danny fully and by the time he gets back to his room, he's exhausted, could have already been asleep. He sighs, looking at his phone and taps on Rosie's name.

Finn: i'm sorry for not calling, got dragged out for a drink. call you tomorrow? ❤️

She puts a batch in the oven and clasps her hands together as she comes back out to plop onto the couch,

"Got about fifteen minutes for those."

Henry groans, "Hopefully I can wait that long."

She grins, "The O'Connell cookie recipe usually guarantees that reaction. Finn will be disappointed he missed out on them."

Across the bar there's quite the elaborate bachelorette party. Cowboys hats, boots, bride sash, matching shirts, the whole get up. Finn gets into a conversation with Danny until one of the girls, the maid of honour, comes over and taps on their shoulders.

"Are you guys on the Blackhawks?" She asks, bright eyed.

Finn hums and Danny says yes, yes they are. That causes a chain of events, not bad ones but suddenly there's about ten girls circling them and chatting, asking about shots. Finn doesn't take part in the shots, the hotel sounding more appealing by the literal second.

"Can we get a picture? Please?" The bride asks. And once again, Danny obliges for them to all take a picture together.

Rosie: good luck! i'm practically there cheering on in spirit, i'll be watching 💖

She nods to herself and makes her way back out towards the couch to sit with Henry and Rowan to watch the rest of the game...crossing her fingers.

"Pemmy, we're gonna go get a drink," one of them says. "You coming?"

Finn looks at the time and it's not too late, their flight isn't until ten tomorrow so, "Yeah. I'll come for one," he nods, joining the group. They grab an Uber and make their way to the bar central area in Nashville. This place is lively as hell. Music, lights, people. He follows his friends towards one of the bars, heading inside.

She's so happy for her brother. They're so cute.

She looks down at her phone...yearning for the same thing. She's got that, doesn't she? In a way, so far...

Rosie: we can put it under your helmet next time Rosie: but hey, the spirit of the lucky bow is still there! you're doing great. just a take a deep breath and recenter, okay? Rosie: also number 15 is now on the /list/, you know the one 😤

Finn: yeah, Karlsson's a piece of work

"Let's go, let's go, let's go!" The captain of the team claps to get everyone riled up. There's only a few minutes until the second period starts. Finn sighs, standing and grabs his gloves. Finn: gotta get back out there ❤️

She breathes out.

"It's on the to-do list," She smiles, "Trust me."

She takes a picture of the three of them to put on her insta story, along with a good-luck wish for Finn.

He looks at his phone with the picture Rosie had sent him of her lucky bow in her hair. Finn smiles to himself, finishing his granola bar.

Finn: beginning to think i really should have worn the bow.